Garment cleaning system



' Sept. 20, 1938. J. c. sHAw GRMENT CLEANING SYSTEM l Filed Aug. 16,1935 INVENToR JULIAN C. SHAW Patented Sept. 20, 1938 ra'riairr oFFlcEGARMENT CLEANING SYSTEM Julian C. Shaw, Norwood, Ohio, assignor tov TheAmericanl Laundry Machinery Company, Norwood, Ohio, 4a. corporation ofOhio Application August 16, 1935, Serial No. 36,545

4 Claims.

My invention relates to fabric cleaning systems, and more particularlyto an improved system'for washing or cleaning fabric and clarifying orreclaiming the treating liquid or solvent.

5 In processes heretofore utilized in washing or cleaning fabric inwhich a treating or-cleaning fluid, such asgasoline, benzine, orsynthetic cleaning solvents, such as carbon tetrachloride, or watercontaining soap or a suitable detergent,

is employed, it has been the practice to utilize the batch or acontinuous clarification process..

In the batch process, the fabric is treated in a bath of the cleaningfluid or solvent,vor with two or more intermittent baths, the solventor.

l5 treating medium beingv discharged after each treatment. In thecontinuous clarification system, the treating vessel is connected with aclari- .ilcation unit, such as a filter. and during the entire cleaningcycle the fabric is treated in a bath of solvent which is beingcontinuously circulated through the treating vessell and clarificationsys- 'rue patch system isv advantageous in that a comparatively rapidremoval of the grease, dirt 25 and other suspended matter is effected,and since the cleaning fluid or solvent is drained from the fabricat theend of each treatment, suspended matter which is removed from the fabricis not u redeposited.

In the continuous clarification system the treating or cleaning fluid isbeing constantly claried and reutllized, but as the suspended matterremoved in the treating vessel is being continu- A ously diluted withclean fluid, the system is `not Y very emclent, in otherwords, in thecontinuous methodthere is a waste of clean fluid because it isbeingcontinuously mixed with uid containsuspended matter.

Ihave provided an improved system in which 40 fabric orgarments may be.washed -or cleaned in a liquid or solvent and the cleaning liquidcontinuously claried and returned for reuse in the 4 process which isoperated in such a manner that the claried liquid or solvent will nctbemixed '45 with the used solvent in the treating vessel.

It is therefore anobject of my invention to provide an improved systemby means of which fabric or garments may be washed or cleaned'invbatches, incombination with a continuous clari- 50 flcation systeminwhich dirt or-,other matter f may be removed from the liquid orsolvent which is returned for reuse in the process. Another obliect ofmy invention isto provide an improved system in` which a suflicientamount of liquid or 55 vsolvent is supplied ,for washing or cleaning asystem isidle.

vis to provide al cleaning and clarification system in which improvedmeans are provided for controlling the supply and discharge of cleaningfluid to the treating vessel.

My invention will be better understood by references to the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic view of my improved system; and

2 is a view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, 20

showing parts broken away.

As illustrated in the drawing, my improved system comprises a treatingvessel I provided with the usual rotatable goods container 2. Arrangedabovethe treating vesselll is a storage tank 3 25 which communicateswith the treating vessel I through a conduit l which is controlled byvalves 5 and S. During the operation of the system valve 5 is in openposition and is closed when the A drain pipe 'I controlled by a 30 valvel leads from the lower portion of the treating vessel to a sump tank orcollecting vessel 9, and a conduit I0 controlled .by a valve II leadsfrom the sump tank 9 and is connected to the inlet side of a pump I2,the outlet side of which 35 is connected by conduit I3to a clarificationunit Il. The clarification unit I4 may be of any suitabletype capableofremovingsuspended matter from the cleaning fluid, such as a lter, acentrifugal or chemical clarifier, or a still and con- 4o denser. Theclarified liquid is then forced through a conduit I5, controlled by avalve I6, into the storage tank'l. If a still and condenser areemployed, the condenser may be located above the storage tank. asillustrated in Patent No. 1,995,064 to Russell A. Hetzner,` and it acentrifuge is employed, an additional pump may be provided to force theliquid into storage tank 3.

The clarincation system is also provided with a conduit I8 extendingfrom conduit Ii to the 50 sump tank l so that by closing valve Il liquidmay be pumped from the sump tank through the clarification unit andagain returned to the sump tankfor recirculation through the lter. Byrepeatedly circulating the soiled liquid through me filter, removal ofall or substantially all of the suspended matter will be assured. Abranch conduit I9 leading from the storage tank 3 to the intake side ofthe pump |2, which communicates with the conduit I at a point indicatedby the numeral 2|, provides means for passing liquid from the storagetank through the clarification unit and returning it again to thestorage tank. By opening valves Il and 2D and discontinuing theoperation of the pump |2, liquid may also be drained from the storagetank directly to the sump tank.

A venting 'arrangement is also provided com-- prising a conduit 22 whichleads fromthe upper portion of treating vessel I to the upper portion ofthe sump tank 9 which equalizes the pressure in those two vessels and aconduit 23 extending from the upper. portion of storage tank 3 to theupper portion of sump tank 9 which equalizes the pressure in the storageand sump tanks.

Valve 6 is provided with a stem 25 which extends through apertures inthe bottom and head of a longitudinally disposed cylinder 26 and isaffixed to a piston 21 which reciprocates in the cylinder with the stem25.' 'I'he head 28 of the cylinder is provided with a vent 29 and coiledaround the stem 25 between the piston 21 and the head 28 is a spring 39which normally forces valve 6 to closed position.

In a like manner the stem 3| of valve 8 extends through apertures in thebottom and head of cylinder 32 and is aixed to a piston 33 whichreciprocates with the stem in the cylinder 32. The head 34 of cylinder32 is also provided with a vent 35and a spring'36 coiled around stem 3|is disposed between the head 36 and the pision 33 which normally forcesvalve 8 to closed position. It will be noted that when valves 6 and 8are in closed position, pistons 21 and 33 a`re in spaced relationshipwith the bottomy of the respective cylinders, forming air chambers fromwhich conduits 40 and 4| lead to valve casings 42 and 43, respectively.

Valve casing 42 is provided with partitions in which ports 46 and 41 areformed. 'I'he partitions aiso provide seats for valves 48 and 49 whichare connected together by a valve stem 50 which extends through theports 46 and 41 and through apertures in the ends of the casing. In alike manner valve casing 43 is provided with partitions in which ports51 and 58 are formed, the partitions providing seats for valves 59an`d60. Valves 59 and 60 are connected together by a stem 6| which extendsthrough ports 51 and 58 and through'apertures in the endsof ing 43.- v

A spring 64 coiled around valve stem 50 is disposed between the valvel49 'and one end of casing 42 which normally maintains valve 48 in openposition and valve 49 in closed position. In a like manner a spring 65is coiled around valve stem 6I between the valve 56 and one end of valveeasing 43 which normally maintains valve 59 in open position and valve69 in closed position. Casings 82 and 43 are each provided with anexhaust port 66 and 61, respectively.

Valve stems 59 and 6| are actuated by means of cams 69'and 19 xed to adrum 68. Drum 68 is provided with journals 13 and 13a which arerotatably mounted in suitable bearings 1| and 12, the journal 13 of thedrum being provided with a gear 14 which nio-:lies with a worm gear 15attached 'to the` sin-ifi 16 of a motor 11.

cas'- A suitable fluid under pressure, such as air,v is supplied to theportion of casing 42 controlled i the conduit seat and opens valve 49against the action of spring 64. Fluid under pressure from conduits 18and 19 then enters casing 42, passes through port 41 and conduit 40 intothe servo-motor 26, forcing piston 21 outwardly against the action ofspring 30, thereby opening valve 6. Assuming .that valve is open, thesolvent or cleaning medium then passes from the storage tank 3 intotreating vessel As the rotation of cylinder 68 is continued, cam 69passes from engagement with "valve stem 50 and spring 64 forces valve 49to closed position and opens valve 48. Air under pressure in cylinder 26then passes through the conduit 40 and ports 46 and 66 to the atmosphereand spring 30 forces the valve 6 to closed position. As cylinder 68 islrotated still further, the cam on the cylinder 68 engages valve stem6|, opening the valve Stand closing the kvalve 59. `Air under pressurethen passes through conduits 18 and 80, port 58 and conduit 4| toservo-motor 32, forcing the piston 33 outwardly against the action ofspring 36 and opening valve 8. While the cam 1|) is in engagement withvalve stem 6|, the soiled liquid or solvent is drained from the treatingvessel.

It will be noted that cams 69 and 10 are arranged upon drum 68 in such amanner that after the solvent or cleaning liquid hasbeen introduced intothe treating vessel, suicient time is permitted for the washingoperation before valve 8 is opened to drain the used solvent into thesump tank. During the period in which the cleaning agent or solvent isbeing introduced and drained from the treating'vessel, and also duringthe washing period, the soiled liquid is being pumped from the sump tank9 and forced throughthe conduit I3 and clarication unit I4 into thestorage tank 3. If it is desired to recirculate the soiledliquid-through the ilter, valve 215i is opened and valve i6 is closed,and after the liquid is forced through the clarification unit ILit isreturned togsump. tank 9 through i8 for recirculation through thefilter. After the liquid has been passed through the lter a suicientnumber of times to clarify the liquid, valve 24 is closed and valve i6is opened and the liquid is passed into storage tank 3. Instead ofpassing the ltered liquid back to the sump tank through the pipe 96,valves i@ and 20 may be opened and valves 2d and it closed, and liquidfrom the storage tank 3` may bepassed through the conduit i9 andrecirculated through the clarication unit.

My improved venting arrangement comprising conduits 22 and 23 equalizesthe pressure within the system which, as shown, is closed orsubstantially closed against entrance of air. For instance, when liquidis being drained into the sump tank 9 from the treating vessel i, theair displaced in the sump tank is conducted into the treating vesselthrough theconduit 22.' When soiled liquid is pumped'from the sump tankthrough the clariiication unit and into the storage tank, the airdisplaced in the 'storage tank passes into the sump tank through theconduit 23, and when the treating compartment is being filled, the airdisplaced therein is passed into the sump tank and to the storage tankthrough the conduits `22 and 23. If it is desired to drain the contentsof storage tank 3 into the sump tank throughconduits I9 and I 0, the airdisplaced in the sump tank is passed into the storagetank through theconduit 23. By this arrangement of conduits, it will be seen that thesystem may be completely closed and equalization of pressure within thesystem may be lobtained.

From the foregoing specification, it. will be apparent that I haveprovided an improved system in which the advantages of both the batchand the continuous clarification systems are obtained. By utilizing myimproved system, it will be seen that it is not necessary to use-such alarge clarification unit, or if the same size clarification unit isemployed, two or more cleaning units may be used in connection witheach` clarification system. Assuming, for example, that theclarification system has a capacity of 1200 gallons of sol- ,vent orcleaning liquid per-hour and that the washing ,cycle is minutes. In thecontinuous system 300 gallons of' liquid pass through the treatingvessel and clarification system during minute operation in thecontinuous system. In

such operation, however, only 150 gallons of the cleaning' or solventfluid would be employed as compared to 300 gallons when the continuoussystem is utilized. The same clarification systemv could therefore beutilized with two cleaning units, or a'clarication system having onlyone-half the capacity of that utiliz'ed in the continuous method couldbe employed.

The foregoing example illustrates a washing operation in which tenseparate baths are employed. If the number of baths are reduced,

however, it might be possible in my improved system'to employ as many asfour units in connection with a clariiication system of the capacityspecified, whereas, only one cleaning unit can be employed when theusual continuous clarcation system is utilized.

Since the location of cams 69 and 10 upon drum 68 automaticallydetermines the time of operation of valves 6 and 8, it will also beseen'that my improved system is Y substantially automatic in operationand will therefore require substantially no manual attention.

It will be understood that the term clarification unitias employed inthe specification, and claims is not only intended to include a filteror centrifugal or chemical clarifier, but also other clarifying orreclaiming units or apparatus in winch suspended matter or impuritiesmaybe removed from the used treating uid or solvent. For example, in placeof the filter, a still and condenser may be employedin which case notonly the suspended matter but also soluble im-` tions of my inventionwill suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scopethereof. My disclosure and description herein are purely illustrativeand are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

What I claim is:

1. In a system for treating fabric, a storage tank, a collecting vessel,a treating vessel communicating with the storage vessel and thecollecting vessel, a clarification unit, communicating means between thecollecting vessel and the inlet of the clarification unit andcommunicating means between the outlet of the clarification unit and thestorage tank and between the outlet ofthe clarification unit and thecollecting vessel, and means for forcing used liquid from the co1-lecting vesselthrough the clarification unit and alternatively passingit either to the storage tank or returning it tothe collecting vesselfor recirculation through the clarification unit without passing itthrough the treating vessel.

2. The process of cleaning fabric which comprises intermittentlysupplying solvent to fabric from a supply tank at repeated intervals ofcomparatively short duration, treating the fabric for a comparativelyshort period between the intervals `at which solvent'is supplied to thefabric, draining the fluid from the fabric into a sump tank after eachtreating operation and continuously passing used liquid from the sumptank through a ilter and returning it to the supply tank during thefabric treating operations `and While solvent is being supplied to anddrained from the treating apparatus at a rate which is approximatelyjust sufficient to supply additional vclarified liquid for each treatingoperation.

3. The process of cleaning fabric which com- Arises intermittentlysupplying solvent to fabric from a supply tank at repeated intervals ofcomparatively short duration, washing the fabric for a period ofapproximately sixty seconds between the'intervals at which solvent issupplied, draining the liquid-from the fabric after each treatingoperation into a sump tank and continuously passing used liquid from thesump tank through a filter and returning it to the supply tank duringfabric treating operations and during the periods vat which solvent isbeing supplied and prises intermittently supplying solvent to fabricfrom a supply tank at repeated intervals of comparativelyshort duration,Washing the fabric 'lor a period of time approximating a minute betweenthe supply intervals, draining the liquid -from the fabric into a sumptank after each washing operation, the number of washing operationsbeing sumcient to clean the fabric and being substantially in excess ofthe yusual washing and rinsing operations employed in the batch system,and continuously passing used liquid from the sump tank through a lterand returning it to the supply tank during fabric treating operationsand during the periods at which solvent is being supplied and drainedfrom the treating apparatus at a rate-which is approximately justsuicient to supply additional clarified liquid for each treatingoperation.

JULIAN C. SHAW.

